The 2026 Stanley Cup Final Game 2 (Thursday, June 4) between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes (8 p.m. ET) continued an NHL postseason of multi-year high viewership. The overtime thriller averaged 4.7 million viewers on ABC:
The audience peaked at 5.8 million viewers in the 10:45 p.m. quarter hour.
Through two games, the 2026 Stanley Cup Final is averaging 4.725 million viewers, up 93% YoY. This is highest Stanley Cup Final average through two games since 2015.
ESPN's presentation of the Stanley Cup Final follows the most-viewed Cup Final Game 1 since 2019 and a record-setting postseason highlighted by ESPN networks' most-viewed First Round and Second Round of the current rights agreement, and the most-viewed Western Conference Final since 2015.
ESPN's exclusive presentation of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final continues tomorrow (Tuesday) with Game 4 between the Hurricanes and the Golden Knights at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Sean McDonough, Ray Ferraro and Emily Kaplan will call the action. Pregame and intermission coverage will feature host Steve Levy and analysts Mark Messier and P.K. Subban. ESPN analyst Erik Johnson returns for The Point presented by DraftKings at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+. More on ESPN's coverage here.
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CONTACTS:
Andrea DiCristoforo | [email protected] | 213-405-4612
Ardi Dwornik | [email protected] | 347-702-0742
Source: ESPN
